The present invention relates to a process for the catalytic oxidation of hydroxy containing aromatic compounds to form their respective quinone compounds. Representative of the type of quinone compounds which may be prepared according to the process of the present invention include N-phenylquinone amines which have a number of utilities including use as an antioxidant in rubbers.
Hydroxy containing aromatic compounds have been oxidized by a variety of methods known to those skilled in the art. In this regard, attention is directed to "Catalytic Oxidations of Hydroquinones and 1,2-Diphenylhydrazine in the Presence of (Dibenzo[b, i][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclotetradecinato) cobalt (II)", K. Sakata et al, Inorganica Chimica, 144 (1988) p. 1-3.